Not a Punching Bag
by Marie S Zachary
Summary: Reba is being abused by her current boyfriend. Liori-Ann is not about to let her get hurt any more


Disclaimer: Don't own Reba... all I own is the original characters

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(Slap) "Don't ever do anything like that again," Bryan, Reba's new boyfriend yelled at her.

"Who the hell do you think you are," Reba said, "git out of my house"

"Fine. I don't want to see you tonight anyway you bitch" He left and slammed the door.

Reba sat down on the couch and cried. It had been a horrible day and it was getting worse. Just as she thought it couldn't get any worse Brock came into the house without knocking.

"Reba," he said, "we need to talk"

"Ever hear of knocking," she asked him.

He came and sat next to her.

"Brock I'm warning you if you came over to criticize or chide me **don't**. I had a bad enough day as it is"

"I didn't- what happened to your face," he asked her

"I… banged it into a door," she said sheepishly

"Oh man," Brock said, "are you okay. You need to get that checked out"

"I- okay I will"

"Good," he said gently caressing her cheek.

"So what's up," she asked him.

Brock sighed.

"Reba you're- I was wondering if I could take the kids on a trip for a week."

"Where?"

"Disneyland. It is the summer after all"

Reba's automatic response was absolutely not, but she paused. She definitely didn't need the kids around her demented boyfriend.

"Okay," she said, "take them but I expect you to call if anything happens."

"Any chance I could get them for the whole summer," Brock asked hopefully.

Reba bit back an "are you insane," and instead nodded quietly.

"Thanks Reba," he said kissing her cheek. She winced.

"The door, remember?"

"Sorry," he said, "one more thing Reba… well two more things"

"What?"

"First of all, I love you and secondly you can see the kids whenever you want to"

"Okay," she said laughing, "I'll take a plane down to Disneyland and surprise you all"

"Hey," he said, "I would love that"

Reba smiled sadly.

Then Brock left.

The next day Bryan came over to Reba's house again.

"Reba I am so sorry about what I did. I swear I don't know what got into me. I'll never do it again. I promise"

Reba sighed inwardly. He had promised not to do it before but he always did it even though he promised not to.

"Reba if I lost you I'd die"

"I'm sorry Bryan," Reba said, "I just can't trust you anymore"

"Please," Bryan begged, "just one more chance"

"One more chance," she told him, "and that's it. Come on in"

"Thanks," he said coming in, "I'll make you some coffee"

"Okay," she said, "I take mine with milk"

"Sure," he said and went into the kitchen.

He came out minutes later. He found Reba talking on her cell phone.

"So how are they Brock? Are they having a good time? Ah poor kid… but you'll take care of it right?

"Okay not too much though. Yes I know you're trained in it but I'm a mother and I'm always going to worry," she laughed. Then she paused. "Okay… you too" She hung up and looked at Bryan.

"Who was that?"

"Brock. He took the kids on a trip and he was just calling to fill me in."

Byran nodded then he 'accidentally' spilled the coffee in Reba's lap.

She jumped up started.

"Oh Reba I'm so sorry. It was an accident. I was distracted"

"Hey," she said with a smile, "it happens. I'll just go upstairs and change"

"Don't change," he said kissing her, "I like you just the way you are"

"Thank you," she said laughing, "but I'm going upstairs to change my clothes"

Reba heard a crash and ran downstairs. She saw her favorite snow-globe broken. It was the one Brock had gotten her when her sister died.

"Don't cry Reba," he said, "it's just a stupid snow-globe."

"You don't understand," she said, "Brock gave it to me when my sister died"

She sat down and sobbed. In a rage Bryan threw a glass vase at her. It missed her by an inch.

"Get out of my house," she said, "don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya" Bryan looked shocked.

"You can't mean that"

"I said it and I mean it," Reba said firmly, "I'm not a punching bag. Get out"

"NO," Bryan said in a rage, "I will not get out" In anger Bryan got his belt off and started swinging at her with it.  
"BYRAN STOP"

He ignored her, hit her for another few minutes then left. Reba sank down to the floor sobbing.

Reba was shaking. She wondered if she should call the cops. But she decided against it. She was too afraid of Bryan. Instead she called Lori-Ann.

"Dr. Garner speaking," Lori-Ann's voice came in clear.

"Lori-Ann, it's me Reba"

"Hey honey, how's it going?"

"Are you busy now," Reba said her voice shaky

"No, not at all"

"Could you come over?"

"Of course," Lori-Ann said gently, "I'll be over in a few minutes"

True to her word Lori-Ann was there in less then 10 minutes.

"Thanks for coming over Lori-Ann," Reba said hugging her friend tightly.

"Wow what happened to you," Lori-Ann asked incredulously.

"Bryan happened to me," Reba whispered

Lori-Ann started shaking with anger.

"What did he do?"

"Yesterday he slapped me. Today he got angry at me and hit me with a belt"

Reba Nellie Hart he has no right to do that. You need to call the police"

"I can't Lori-Ann. He'll kill me"

"And if you don't," Lori-Ann said with a sigh, "he'll definitely kill you"

Lori-Ann stayed the whole day. Then when she had to leave she stopped at the local precinct.

"Doctor Garner," one of the officer's said surprised, "to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit"

Lori-Ann sighed.

"I'm afraid this is not a pleasure visit," she said, "my friend's boyfriend is abusing her"

"How can you be so sure of that?"

Lori-Ann filled the officer's in on what had been happening with Reba.

"Do you know his name?"

"Bryan Charles"

"And his address"

"1610 Huston drive"

"We'll send a cop car to question him"

"Thank you"

"You're welcome"

The police car pulled up into 1610 Huston drive fifteen minutes later.

"Bryan Charles?"

"Who's asking?"

"Sir you're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. If you give up the right to remain silent anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to the presence of an attorney. If you desire an attorney and cannot afford one, one will be appointed for you without question. Do you understand those rights as I have read them to you?"

"What is the charge?"

"Sir do you understand the rights as I have read them to you"

"Yes but I don't understand the charges"

"You're being charged with abuse"

"Abuse, that's ridiculous"

"Sir, you're coming down to the station for questioning"

"What if I refuse to go?"

"Sir, don't make this more difficult for yourself"

"I refuse to go"

"Sir don't make us get out the handcuffs"

"I… this is ridiculous"

One of the offices got out the handcuffs

"Okay okay I'm coming"

Wordlessly he followed the officers out.

Fifteen minutes later they were at the station.

"I still maintain my innocence"

"Are you willing to take a lie detector test to prove it?"

"Um… I guess"

"Fine then"

"Have you ever hit your girlfriend?"

"N... playfully maybe"

"Have you ever hit her to cause her harm?"

"No"

"Have you ever broken something of hers?"

"Yes. It was an accident though"

"Have you ever hit your girlfriend with an object?"

"No of course not!"

"Have you ever caused bruises?"

On and on the questioning went. He failed the test and was sentenced later to 25 years in jail for abuse.


End file.
